Moving Forward: Epilogue Rewrite
by Hitana
Summary: After the defeat of Lord Voldemort, Harry finds his life changing in many ways. Epilogue Rewrite written just after the release of Deathly Hallows. New ships and new tone.


This is something I wrote several years ago (About a week after the release of Deathly Hallows, to be exact) on my favorite HP fansite, Mugglenet Interactive. It was originally a homework assignment, but it quickly became one of my favorite stories.

Please note that this rewritten epilogue varies greatly from the one JK Rowling wrote, including major shifts in the ships and overall tone. This has been known to make people cry on more than one occasion (and my arm was once bruised because I dared to make a friend cry).

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this as much as I have over the years, because now its time for it to come out of my private collection and enter the main fandom.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other characters/themes/places/whatever else. If I did, not only would this be the real epilogue, but I would also be one of the richest women in the world and wouldn't be wasting my time writing fanfics.

**Moving Forward: Epilogue Rewrite.**

It took Harry several months to fully realize what had happened. He had become even more famous than ever before after Voldemort had been defeated. Owls were flying all over Britain for weeks after Voldemort's death, all saying the same things. That You-Know-Who was gone, that there had been a huge battle at Hogwarts, that the death toll for both sides had been high, and that the Boy Who Lived, the great Harry Potter, had been the one to finally do away with the Dark Lord.

But hardly any of this fazed Harry. After the battle, and after the many funerals that he not only attended, but was asked by weeping mothers, fathers, siblings, and children to deliver speeches giving solace to those that remained. He had found two funerals almost too hard to bear.

He was first asked to speak at the funerals of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin. Tonks's mother, Andromeda, sat in the front row of seats, directly in front of her only child's lifeless body. Her grandson, Teddy, was nestled in a blanket in her arms, unaware that this would be the last time he would see his parents. Harry told everyone of how much of an impact both of them had had on his life, and the lives of everyone they had ever known. Remus, cast out at an early age, had been fortunate enough to find the best and truest friends a man could ever find, only to have them all ripped away from him at the hands of Voldemort and his supporters. Harry said that he knew that three of the four, Sirius Black and Harry's own parents, had been waiting for Remus with open arms as he left this world for the next. He said that he had only known Tonks for two short years, but some of his memories with her were the best he could recall. He said that she'd always been lighthearted, her personality overshadowed only by her hair color. He spoke of Teddy, who would never meet his parents, but would always know that they died the deaths only granted to true heroes.

The second funeral was much harder, only because it struck Harry much closer to home. It was a small ceremony, most of the attendees had the same flame-red hair as the deceased. Harry told the crowd almost every memory he had of Fred Weasley. From the first time he met Fred, when he had told his mother that she was horrible for not being able to tell the twins apart, to his spectacular exit from Hogwarts two years previous. He recalled his jokes about his twin's "new look." But the hardest thing for Harry was that he couldn't mention a story about Fred without mentioning George. No one had taken Fred's death harder than his twin. No one could remember a time when it had only been "George", not "Fred and George." Harry looked down at Fred's twin, who simply smiled at Harry, a single tear running down his face. He absently rubbed the side of his head, scratching an ear that wasn't there. Harry smiled back feebly, knowing that only George could manage to smile like that during the funeral of the person he'd spent his entire life with. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were both wrecks, unable to even look up at Harry or the casket behind him. Percy's glasses were covered with tears, and Fleur had a soaking wet handkerchief in her hands. Bill's arms were around his wife, tears sliding freely down his face. Charlie was sitting next to Ginny, who was crying openly into his shoulder while he patted her back gently. Ron and Hermione sat on either side of George, Hermione crying so hard into her hands that it was a wonder she could even hear what Harry was saying, and Ron fighting desperately to hold back his own tears and failing miserably.

Once Harry had finished his speech, George stood up and spoke as well, only his speech was far more lighthearted. No one, as George pointed out, knew Fred better, and no one, besides his twin, could know that Fred had never wanted anyone to cry when he died. Fred had died laughing, which was how he always wanted it. At this, George waved his wand and several loud bangs filled the Weasley's orchard as 21 of Fred and George's joke shop fireworks exploded in a flash of sparks and fire. George then removed his jacket, revealing a hand-knitted sweater with a large yellow "F" on the front. "He'll always be with me," George said happily. "And I'll be with him. Guess where my sweater is?" At this, before Mrs. Weasley could object, Fred's body disappeared into the ground and a tombstone decorated with Fred's name, date of birth, date of death, and an image of a Beater's bat smacking a firework emblazoned with the letters "FW" into a cloud appeared.

After Fred's funeral, Harry had gone his own way. He went back to Privet Drive to collect all of his old school things, and had gone to live at Grimmauld Place with his thoughts. He knew what he had to do next. He got an Apparating license, but that was his only real human interaction until that September. On August 31st, he picked up all of his old schoolbooks, and several new ones, his school robes, and anything else he might need, and left his trunk sitting in the entrance hall in front of Sirius's mother's portrait. The next day, he went to King's Cross Station and boarded the train to Hogwarts with Ron and Hermione. Sure, they were a year older than the rest of the seventh years, but they all knew that they would need to finish school to fulfill their dreams, now that their futures were clear of impending doom.

Harry's seventh year at Hogwarts was by far his favorite. His only near-death experience was falling off his new Nimbus Two Thousand (he decided that he wanted anything except a new Firebolt) during his first Quidditch match of the year. Ron and Hermione had settled their differences and decided to just remain good friends. A few months later, Ginny reported seeing Ron in the Charms hallway holding hands with Luna Lovegood, and Harry had finally come to the realization that he far preferred Hermione's company to Ginny's.

Harry wasn't entirely sure how he scraped a NEWT in every subject he tried for, but that summer, he and Ron both entered the Auror training course for the Ministry of Magic. Hermione started her career in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement with a bang, and within a year, she was responsible for many new legislations, including a new law nicknamed PEWA, the Protection of Elfish Welfare Act. However, seeing as how she had only planted the bills on the Department Head's desk, and did not have the ability to argue them herself, her efforts were almost completely unnoticed.

Harry and Hermione were married the next autumn, and Ron asked Luna for her hand at the reception. Ginny and Neville were seen dancing together quite a bit at the reception, and according to several of the guests, the two disappeared from the party just after the cake was cut, and were not seen for nearly two hours.

Ronald James Potter and Fred Christopher Weasley were born within a month of each other two years later, just after Harry and Ron had completed their Auror training, and just after Hermione had been promoted for the third time in two years in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Luna took over running The Quibbler after her father retired that summer, and Neville and Ginny, recently married, announced that they, too, were expecting a firstborn.

Over the next eleven years, Harry's life became surprisingly normal. Or as normal as it could be for the person who had defeated the Dark Lord and was quickly gaining a reputation as one of the two best Aurors since Mad-Eye Moody. Harry and Hermione had two other children, Lillian Joanne and Thomas John. Harry found he could never explain what prompted him to name his youngest child "Tom", except for the fact that Tom Riddle had been one of the greatest wizards of the 20th century, even if his intentions weren't the best.

On September the first, Harry and Hermione were busy getting together socks, robes, cauldron, books, quills, and parchment together for Ron. Their oldest son was so excited to finally be starting school at Hogwarts that he had nearly forgotten to get dressed, and was ready to leave the house in his pajamas. Harry had laughed, knowing that he was too nervous to think on his first day, and his son was showing the complete opposite. Once they had packed all of Ron's things in the car, the family piled in, Ron sitting in the seat right behind his father, glancing out the window every minute or so to see if they were at the station yet.

Once they arrived, Ron was the first one out of the car. He stood next to the trunk of the car, a cage holding a beautiful snowy owl in his left hand, waiting for one of his parents to unlock it. Hermione found a trolley and Harry helped his son unload his school trunk and place the owl's cage on top.

"Did you ever decide on a name for her, Ron?" Hermione asked, watching the bird as she hooted curiously in her cage.

"I was thinking of calling her Hedwig, after Dad's first owl." Ron was also looking at the bird, but his attention was pulled away suddenly as he noticed a familiar face in the crowd. He smiled widely and ran off, forgetting all about his parents, siblings, and belongings.

"It seems he's found a friend," Harry said, bemused.

"Well, how can you miss him? He's got his father's hair."

"And his mother's eyes." Harry found this particular statement odd coming from him. He swore he would never tell anyone that they had their "mother's eyes."

Ron had run over to a small group of freckled people, all laughing happily. Ron's namesake was waving at Harry and Hermione, and they wheeled Ron's trolley over to say hello.

"How are you today?" asked a dreamy voice.

"We're alright, Luna. How have you all been?" Hermione hugged Luna tightly as Lillian and Tom ran past them to say hello to the Weasley's youngest, Sara.

Ron Weasley and Harry were deep in conversation about a recent bust they had made at work. "Can you believe that guy? Bewitching cauldrons to shrink every time someone adds ginger roots?"

"Ron, it's Dung. I can believe anything he does." Both men laughed as they stepped onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Their wives were already trying to help their sons get their trunks on the train

"Hey, Harry, Ron!"

Harry turned quickly and opened his arms wide, hugging the youth that had just appeared through the barrier. "Teddy! All set for your fifth year?" The boy beamed at his godfather, and his grandmother smiled happily.

"It's good to see you again, Harry. Teddy was so grateful to be able to spend Christmas and Easter with your family. I hope he wasn't too much trouble."

"Andromeda, he's never any trouble. He's like his father. I'd only be worried about trouble if he were related to MY father. And if what I hear is true, Teddy's more like his dad than I would have thought. Remus was a Prefect, too." Teddy Lupin turned the same shade of scarlet as the train he was about to board. Harry helped his godson get his things onto the train and put his things in the same compartment as Ron and Fred.

"You'll keep an eye on those two, won't you? Even if they're not in your House?"

"Sure. I don't mind babysitting. That is, if I'm getting paid for it." Harry looked at Teddy dubiously, but Teddy just chuckled. "I'm only kidding, Harry. I'll make sure they don't get into too much trouble. Well, I'll at least try to keep them from getting expelled."

"That's all I ask," Harry smiled, "see you at Christmas." He hugged Teddy again, and then stepped back onto the platform to stand next to his wife and two younger children.

Ron stepped down off the train one last time to give his parents a last hug. "Bye Mum, Dad. I'll see you all at Christmas! And I'll write to you about what House I'm in!"

"Ron," Harry said, making up his mind. He put his hand on his son's shoulder and led him a little way away from everyone else. He sighed slightly, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a faded piece of parchment and a folded-up cloak that shone silver in the September sunlight. "These are for you, son. They served me better than I could imagine when I was at Hogwarts, and I know they'll come in handy for you, too. They were your grandfather's, so be careful with them, okay? They are both one of a kind, so make sure you don't lose them or get them confiscated by Filch. The Cloak will make you invisible, and the map will show you where everyone is at Hogwarts. Just tap it with your wand and say 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good' to make it appear, and when you're done, say 'mischief managed.' Your mum doesn't know I'm giving them to you, but she probably expects that I'd give them to one of my kids."

Ron stared at his father, lost for words. He took the Map and the Cloak, his jaw open slightly. He stuffed them both into his pocket, then reached up and hugged his father again. "Thanks, Dad! I'll make you proud."

"You already have. Just make sure you don't get expelled, and don't even think about sending your sister a toilet seat."

"Huh?"

"Never mind. I should probably tell that to Fred, anyway. His uncles tried to do it when they were third years."

Ron laughed and shook his head. Sometimes the ramblings of old people was just funny. He had no idea what his father was talking about.

A whistle blew from the scarlet engine, and doors started slamming all down the train. Harry and Ron ran toward the train, and Ron jumped on a second before it started to move out of the station. He ran to the window of the compartment he would share with Fred, and both boys leaned out the window, waving to their parents as they set off for their first great adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Make sure you check your beds for Nargles!" Harry chuckled with the rest of them as Luna waved a final goodbye to her son. Some things never change.


End file.
